Method of and apparatus for applying a liquid coating to a surface



July 19, 1932. F. c. ATWOOD METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A LIQUID COATING TO A SURFACE Filed July 13 \uuem-roa y #Janc/s 0. .JluJ Quad 2. d H'r'rY.

Patented July 19, 1932 units!) srArss PATENT? orricu FRANCIS C. ATWOOD, F NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS METHOD 01! AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING A LIQUID COATING T0 SURFACE Application filed July 13,

Ihis invention relates to a method of and to apparatus for applying a liquid coating to a surface.

One object of the invention is to provide a s novel and highly eflicient method of producing a decorative finish upona rough surface,

by which maximum contrast between the high lights and the depressions in the surface may be secured with a minimum amount of coating material.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel and efiicient apparatus for practicing the present method, and by which the desired decorative finish may be applied-to the surface with minimum labor and at minimum expense.

With these objects in view, and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention con sists in the method and apparatus and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawing illustrating the preferred apparatus for practicing the present invention, Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of a pressure squeegee; Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail with parts in section illustrating the detachable connection between the squeegee and the 30 pressure chamber; Fig. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a modification of the apparatus; and Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the squeegee connected to a dis charge conduit through which the liquid coating may be supplied.

In general the present method is particularly suitable for finishing walls, ceilings, and other surfaces which may be provided with surface irregularities in any sort of design.

These surface irregularities may be large or small and may be produced by manipulation of the plastic coating after the latter has been applied to the surface and before it has become set or hard. For example, the character of surface may be that produced by the well-known texturing plastics such as Craftex. Even the ordinary plaster surface comprising ordinary walls and ceilings possesses irregularities and a surface roughness which 1929. Serial ums'zaoso.

lend themselves to the application of the present method.

It has heretofore been the practice in finishing walls and ceilings with Craftex and certain other texturing plastics to apply a liquid coating material, commonly referred to as a glaze, to the'textured plastic surface, and then to wipe off with acloth portions of the glaze from the highlights or raised portions of the rough texturedsurface in order so that the depressions may be filled with glaze and the glaze removed from the highlights, thus bringing out the highlights and emphasizing the design or texture in the surface.

The use of the cloth in wiping the glaze from i the highlights not only leaves more or less of' the glaze upon the highlights but also portions of the cloth extend down into the depressions and remove some of the glaze from the depressions so that the contrast between the 10 highlights and depressions has not been as pronounced and emphatic as could be desired. This is particularly true when the surface irregularities are relatively small.

In accordance with the present invention, provision is made for wiping off the high lights in a manner such that the glaze is caused to flow into the depressions, filling the same, and also in such manner that the wiping device does not enter the depressions and does not remove any of the glaze therefrom. I have experienced particularly good results utilizing a rubber squeegee in wiping ofi the glaze from-the high 1i hts or raised portion of the rough or texture surface, such 85 as a wall or ceiling. In addition considerable labor may be eliminated by utilizing the rubber squeegee in both applying and wiping the glaze toand from the surface, and in practice I have found it is necessary only to 99 dip the squeegee in the glaze and pass it over the surface, and as a result of this single operation the glaze is applied to the surface, wiped from the highlights and forced to run down into the depressions, filling'the same all in the single operation as the squeegee Wet with the glaze is passed over the rough or textured surface, In this manner the distinction between the high lights and the depressions is brought out in a most emphatic manner and the desired decorative effect is produced upon the surface in a most elficient and economical manner.

Inpractice the present method of wiping or of applying and wiping the glaze from the high lights of a textured or rough surface finds particular use in the production of so-called textured walls or ceilings. Nevertheless these methods may be used with advantage in producing decorative effects upon roughened surfaces of all sorts, and upon many different materials such for example as upon the roughened surface produced by embossing paper or similar sheet material, and in the manufacture of such sheet material the squeegee may and preferably will comprise a rubber doctor under which an embossed web of the paper or other material is passed and the glaze is applied to the sheet preparatory to its passage under the rubber doctor. .This method of manufacturing an embossed or roughened paper sheet of itself forms no part of the present invention but forms the subject matter of a copending application Serial No. 375,185, filed July 1, 1929.

In order to facilitate the application of the glaze or other coating material. in the practice of the present method, the squeegee is preferably constructed as illustrated in the drawing, wherein 10 represents the squeegee provided with a contacting surface 12 which is designed to pass over the high lights of the rough surface and to wipe the glaze therefrom into the depressions. The squeegee 10 is also provided with a reservoir 14 within the same connected by a number of passages 16 to the contacting surface 12, so that when the liquid glaze is supplied to the reservoir 14 it may be forced outwardly through the conduit or passages 16 and supply the con tactingsurface 12 with the'glaze. With this construction, as the squeegee is passed over the surface, the glaze is applied by the squeelget;1 and simultaneously wiped from the high i ts.

practice I prefer to construct the squeegee 10 of rubber which may be molded into the shape illustrated and which will also preferably be provided with a neck portion 20 having a coupling member 22 adapted to screw upon the discharge pipe of a pressure gun 24 of any usual or preferred type. I have herein illustrated such 'a' gun as provided with a piston 26, a removable cover 30 through which the supply of liquid glaze may be introduced into the body of the gun. The cover 30 is provided with a boss 29 provided with a threaded hole through which a threaded shaft 28 is screwed so that upon rotation of the handle 32, the piston is forced downwardly operating to expel the liquid glaze from the gun and to cause it to fill the reservoir 14 within the squeegee and to pass outwardly through the small passages 16 to supply glaze upon the contacting surface of the squeegee.

The squeegee 10 may be connected directly to the discharge pipe of the gun in the manner illustrated in Fig. 1, or if desired it may be connected, as illustrated in Fig. 4, to a conduit 44 through which the liquid coating material may be forced under pressure from any suitable supply- For example, the conduit 44 may comprise the ordinary flexible hose commonly used in connection with-pressure gun systems for supplying fluid under pressure.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated'a modified form of squeegee in which the squeegee may be made entirely of rubber and attached to a bulb 40 designed to be compressed to force the liquid glaze from within the bulb and of the glaze from the high lights by a cloth.

As used throughout the specification and claims, the word glaze is used with the intention of including those colored coatings commonly referred to as glaze, and also any other colored coatings which are capable of being used with advantage in the application of the present method in finishing different sorts of rough or irregular surfaces, and while I prefer to employ a rubber squeegee,

other forms of squeegee may be used, preferablv of a non-absorbent material.

While the preferred form of apparatus has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. The method of producing a decorative finish upon a roughwall or ceiling, which consists in applying to the surface a quantity of a liquid glaze from the operative edge of a pliable squeegee by manually passing the squeegee over the surface to thereby wipe the liquid glaze from the hig -lights and into the depressions ofthe surface substantially simultaneously with the application of the glaze. 2. The method'of producing a decorative finish upon a rough wall or ceiling. which consists in causing a quantity of a liquid glaze to accumulate along the operating edge of a rubber squeegee, manually passing the squeegee over and in contact with the surface to mouse apply the glaze to the surface and simultaneously wipe the glaze from the high-lights and into the depressions of the surface. 3. The method of producing a decorative finish upon a rough wall or ceiling, which consists in applying a liquid glaze to the surface, and thereafter manually wiping the glaze from the high-lights by a phable squeegee.

.4. The method of producing a decorative finish upon a rough wall or ceiling, which consiizs in dipping a pliable squeegee into a bath of a liquid glaze and manually passing the squeegee overthe-rou'gh surface ,to thereby apply the glaze to the surface, and simultaneously wiping the glaze from the highli hts into the depressions.

testimony whereof I have signed my 'name to this specification. FRANCIS C. ATWOOD. 

